"Chalo chalo andar ao daaro maat" the girl pulled her inside the house, "hum kha nehi jayenge tumhe".

She went inside with them hesitantly.

This morning when she was about to share her problem with Anirudh, a phone call destroyed all her plans. On the phone call, Kartik asked her to meet him and if she doesn't, he will do what he said. This is something that scares every girl and demoralises their willpower. She decided to meet him because she believes that everyone should get a chance. Before she takes any step, she should explain him.

She went to meet him at his house and also decided to expose him in front of his family members. She was greeted by three girls who were actually some other rich girls, the daughter of Kartik's father's friend. A party or get together kind of something was going on in the house where Kartik's father and their fathers were talking.

She walked in and was greeted by his pishi. She gave a warm smile. "Kaki mujhe apke bete k baare mein kuch kehna hain" she said hastily and narrated everything.

She gave a shocked expression, "hummey yaakein nehi ho raha Kartik aisa kar sakta hain, chalo mein samjha dungi ussey" and took her upstairs.

She was relieved, finally his pishi can explain to him that whatever he is doing is wrong but when she took her to Kartik, she didn't utter a single word instead warned him, "niche tumhare baba hain isiliye jo bhi karna sambhal k karna" which made Bondita question her parenting.

As she entered the room, Kartik threw her on the sofa with all his might. She tried to stand up but he caged her immediately. He held her face tightly, forcing her to look at his friend who slowly poured the acid in front of her eyes on the human-faced mask and it burned immediately. Horror was visible in her eyes.

All the five boys as well as 3 girls, 8 of them laughed and did high-five while Kartik tugged her hair behind her ears, "ye to bass demo tha".

8 against one girl. It's bullying, threatening, harassing all in one.

The strange part was Kartik's pishi knew everything that her nephew has forcibly brought a girl to his house, took her to his room with other friends to threaten her yet when Kartik's father asked she answered, "kittu k kuch dost aye hain, bacche upar maaze kar rahe hain". Maaze kar rahe the, yes they were having fun, laughing at a scared girl after threatening her.

She rubbed her face, took a deep breath and stood up, "dekho Kartik" she faced him boldly, "tum jo kar rahe ho wo galat hain. Aise pyar hasil nehi hota aur rahi baat meri to mein kisi aur se pyar karti hu" she said calmly. "Ye mujhe daara k tum nehi paoge mujhe kyuki mein dil se to kisi aur ko chahati hu isiliye keh rahi hu ki ye sab maat karo tum, ye galat hain".

"Abh ek ladki sikhaygi mujhe ki kya sahi hain aur kya galat" they laughed hard. "Iska bhi Mira jaisi halat karna parega. Tum abh jaa sakti ho aur jo maine aj kaha ussey yaad rakhna".

She picked up her bag and ran downstairs where his Pishi was standing. She eyed her. How could be someone so blind to her son's love? Kartik's fater saw her suddenly. He is one of the renowned zammindar and a really good person of his morals.

Yes I was scared. Yes my soul was shaken, no I will not back off, no I am not weak. Zyada se zyada kya hoga, muh jaljayga?

He did the same with another girl called Mira too. I need to find Mira at any cost and prove in front of the world what kind of monster Kartik is.

I went back home and the first thing I did was that I called at the institution where I meet Kartik. I enquired about Mira and where she is but they said Mira had left college a year ago and after that nobody knew where she is

I asked for her address and hung up the call. "Bolpur" is her village which means she is in Shantiniketan.

(Shantiniketan, the university town of Bengal, established by Rabindranath tagore. The school there donot have rooms instead children study under open sky.

It is said the first Indian to win noble prize i.e Tagore never went to school as he felt caged in the classroom that is why classes in Shantiniketan are under open sky.

This is the same place where Anirudh had sent the Heera Mandi girls for studies if you remember that episode of BB)

"Pati babu ko manana parega waha le jane k liye".

I was in the study, reading a book when I heard the sound of her payel coming closer, jumping and hopping like she always does.

"Ajao" I spoke before she knocked.

"Pa-ti-Ba-Bu" she said sweetly as if someone is singing nursery rhymes.

I eyed her, "mere pati babu kitne acche hain" she started moving to and fro in a position with a wide smile.

Niyat thik nehi lagrahi, pakka issey kuch chahiye.

"Pati babu pati babu" she again sang like rhymes and held my hand, "Ap idhar baithiye" she pulled me to the sofa. I looked at her suspiciously.

She held a cup of coffee, "duniya mein sabse acche pati babu k liye sabse accha coffee".

"Kya chahiye tumhe" I said bluntly, with a straight face.

"Mujhe humesha kuch chahiye hota hain kya? Mein apse humesha aise baat nehi karti kya?" She frowned.

I folded my hands, "Nehi Bondita ji ap humesha itne meethe sur se baat nehi karte abh taratari bolo kya chahiye".

She jumped and sat beside me, "Shantiniketan jana hain".

"Achanak kyu?"

"Log achanak se hi jaane k liye soch te hain, maa k pet se nehi soch k aate ki ha aj se bohot saal baad apne akhru pati se jane k liye puchungi" she rolled her eyes.

"Har baat ko gol gol ghumana zaroori hain? Aur Akhru kise kehe rahi ho tum" I scolded her.

She stood up, "aur kisey, apne pati ko".

"Dekha aisa baat karti ho tum, Jab kuch chahiye hota hain tabhi meethi boli bolti ho warna tum kaha pyar se baat karti ho" we started arguing with each other.

"Apko pyar chahiye?" She suddenly said in a serious tone and I realized what I said a few minutes back.

An awkward silence prevailed in the room. We both went quiet and I tried hard to ignore her gaze.

"Mera matlab ki pyar se baat karna chahate hain ap" she awkwardly laughed to change the topic, "to le chaliye mujhe Shantiniketan.

Honestly Bondita never asks anything for herself. This was the first time she wanted to visit someplace. I looked at her and saw her eyes closed and fingers crossed while she murmured, "Dugga maa pati babu haa karde".

She slowly opened her eyes and looked at me while I slightly nodded my head up and down.

"Thank you!" She shouted in joy and with a great force hugged me so hard that I almost moved a few steps back and held the table for support, "ap bohot bohot bohot acche ho".

I chuckled while she hugged me. After a while, we broke the hug, "apke kapde rakh lu?'

"Maine nehi jaa raha"

Hearing this her smile faded away, "matlab? Mein akele jaungi kya?"

"Batuk k sath jaana, mein ussey keh deta hu" I said.

She looked at me blankly, "Ap ko kaam hain kya".

I adjusted the books on my shelf, "Haa Bondita"

"Zaroori hain?" She asked me innocently.

"Haa Bondita"

"Mujhse bhi zyada?" She asked softly.

I had no answer so stayed quiet.

Agar Mira ko dhundna itna zaroori nehi hota to mein kabhi nehi jaati unke bina, kabhi nehi.

But finding Mira is more important than anything else. I need to talk to her and expose Kartik's deeds in front of his family and the whole village.

Batuk is my friend so I wasn't bored at all. On our way, we chit-chatted, reminiscing our childhood memories. We laughed and giggled.

While talking I looked at my hand which had pati babu's name imprinted on my skin. I wanted to be on this journey with him.

Shantiniketan in Bolpur is a small place so finding someone won't be tough here. I asked Batuk to stay in the hotel room while I roam here and there.

I lied.

I went for my search for Mira.

After asking the villagers I finally got her address. She works in an ashram where she serves the poor and teaches students. That is such a noble deed.

The weather is so pleasant here so I immediately fell asleep unless Dada's call woke me up.

"Pohoch gaye humlog"

"Haa dada" I replied back, yawning and stretching my hand.

"Bondita Ko phone dena" said Dada from the other side.

"Wo to nehi hain"

"Nehi hain matlab?" He panicked for no reason.

"Dada apko to pata hain bandariya hain, hogi kahi uchal kud kar rahi hain, kaise sambhalte ho ap".

We both laughed over the phone.

"Abh to tujhe hi sambhalna parega" he said suddenly.

I don't want to extend this conversation, "bad mein baat karta hu dada" saying I hung up the call.

I went inside and found a girl planting a sapling with a few kids.

"Mira?" I called her.

When she turned back, her face was covered with dupatta and only her beautiful pair of eyes were visible, "ji mein hi hu"

Suddenly due to ghust of wind, the duppatta flew off revealing her face.

Her face was burned and deformed. Her nose had almost mixed with the skin. Half of her face was dark with no eyebrows still she looked the epitome of beauty with the most pretty smile I have ever seen.

I smiled at her pleasantly.

She panicked and covered her face immediately but I stopped her, "chupa kyu rahi ho?"

"Ap chillaye nehi?" She said with her soft soothing voice, "chikh ki adat daal li hain maine".

"Koi itni khoobsurat kisi ko dekh k chikhegi kyu?" saying this I removed her pallu, "tum bohot pyari ho".

She chuckled.

"Mein Bondita, tumhari madat chahiye, karogi?" I asked her.

"Mein apki kya madat kar sakti hu?" She asked me.

"Kartik ko janti ho" when I uttered his name her face went paler and her eyes became moist, "ha".

"Usne mujhpe..." Her voice choked and she broke into tears.

I embraced her and patted her back.

"Uske wajase mere pariwar walo ne muh fer liya, samaj se gao se nikal diya mujhe, log daarte hain mujhse bas mera ek hi ashray hain ye Shantiniketan.

Tagore's Shantiniketan was above every discrimination of caste, creed and sex, above all social evils. Shantiniketan accepts everyone with love. Still now it is the most cultural, educational, peaceful and beautiful. Its so peaceful and once you visit, it's air enough to pacify soul.

Basanta utsav is the celebration held on holi. Shantiniketan celebrates this day in a different way. Girls dressed in yellow saree and flowers danced on streets in Rabindra sangeet and applies colors.

"Apne sath huye is anyai ka saza nehi dilwana chahate tum?" I asked her.

She remained silent.

"Bas awaz uthana hain anyai k khilaf to bohot kuch badal sakte hain hum kyuki tark se fark parta hain ye mere pati babu ne sikhaya hain" I tried to motivate her.

"Hum kya karenge Bondita?"

"Bass sach bolenge uske gao k samne parivar k samne"

"Baba ye ladkiya jhoot bol rahi hain, inhe bass mujhe fasana hain" said Kartik to his father.

I was about to shout but Pati babu pressed my hand and stopped me.

"Bada ye jhooti..."

Before he could utter one more word his father slapped him hard in front of the whole village and pushed him to the ground in front of everyone.

"Da ap ye kya kar rahe hain, kuch anjaan ladkiyo k kehne pe ap apne bete ko marenge?" But his father ignored his pishi and started hitting him with Stick, "apna galti sudhar raha hu mein tujh jaise aulad ko paida karke".

I hugged Mira and patted her head while she cried.